Tracy Letts
Tracy Letts is an American playwright, actor, and screenwriter renowned for his dark, incisive explorations of American family dysfunction and societal undercurrents, most notably through his Pulitzer Prize-winning play August: Osage County.[1] Born on July 4, 1965, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Letts grew up in the small town of Durant in a literary family, with his mother, Billie Letts, a bestselling novelist, and his father, Dennis Letts, an actor and English professor who later originated a role in one of his son's plays.[2][3] After a brief, tumultuous stint at Southeastern Oklahoma State University marked by substance abuse, he dropped out and moved to Chicago at age 20 to pursue acting, eventually joining the Steppenwolf Theatre Company as an ensemble member in 2002.[4][1][5] Letts' playwriting career began in the early 1990s with gritty, thriller-like works such as Killer Joe (1993) and Bug (1996), both of which he later adapted into films, establishing his reputation for blending psychological tension with black humor.[4] His breakthrough came with August: Osage County (2007), a sprawling epic about a fractured Midwestern family that premiered at Steppenwolf, won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play, and was adapted into a 2013 film starring Meryl Streep.[1] Subsequent plays like Man from Nebraska (2003, Pulitzer finalist), Superior Donuts (2008), Mary Page Marlowe (2015), Linda Vista (2018), and The Minutes (2017, Broadway 2020) further showcased his versatility, often delving into themes of faith, politics, and personal unraveling, with The Minutes earning critical acclaim for its satirical take on American civic life.[6] As of November 2025, his play Bug is receiving its Broadway premiere starring his wife, actress Carrie Coon, and he is collaborating on Fire and Rain, a stage musical based on the life of James Taylor.[7][8] Parallel to his writing, Letts has built a distinguished acting career, particularly in theater, where he won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for portraying George in the 2012 Broadway revival of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.[1] His screen work spans film and television, including roles as a CIA director in Homeland (2013–2014), the acerbic editor Mr. Dashwood in Little Women (2019), and Henry Ford II in Ford v Ferrari (2019), alongside supporting parts in Lady Bird (2017), The Post (2017), and Deep Water (2022).[9][2] In late 2024, he joined the cast of Peacock's The Office spinoff The Paper as a guest star, demonstrating his ongoing demand in ensemble-driven projects.[10] Now sober for over three decades after early struggles with addiction, Letts resides in Chicago with Coon, whom he married in 2013, and their two children, balancing his dual careers while remaining a core figure at Steppenwolf, where he continues to influence contemporary American drama.[4][6][9]Early years
Family background
Tracy Letts was born on July 4, 1965, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[5] He was the youngest of three sons born to Dennis Letts, an English professor and actor who taught for three decades at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, and Billie Letts, a novelist best known for her 1995 bestseller Where the Heart Is.[5][11][12] His brothers are Shawn Letts, a musician, and Dana Letts.[13] The family relocated from Tulsa to Durant, a small town in southeastern Oklahoma, shortly after Letts's birth, where his parents pursued their academic and artistic careers.[5][14] Growing up in this environment, Letts was exposed early to the performing arts through his father's local theater work and teaching role, which fostered a familial appreciation for literature and drama.[11][15] This parental influence subtly shaped his own path toward theater and writing.[14]Education and move to Chicago
Letts grew up in Durant, Oklahoma, where he graduated from Durant High School in 1983.[16] Inspired by his father's involvement in community theater, Letts developed an early interest in acting during high school, participating in local productions that fueled his passion for performance.[5] His family supported these artistic pursuits, encouraging his creative development in a household shaped by his parents' academic and theatrical backgrounds.[13] After high school, Letts briefly attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University for one semester, a tumultuous period marked by substance abuse, after which he dropped out to pursue acting professionally. He first moved to Dallas, Texas, at age 18, where he supported himself as a waiter while taking on small roles in local theater.[5][17] Seeking greater opportunities, he relocated to Chicago at age 20 in 1985, drawn to the city's vibrant theater scene.[18] In Chicago, Letts continued working odd jobs, including waiting tables, to make ends meet as he immersed himself in the fringe theater community. He made his initial stage appearances in experimental and off-off-Loop productions, honing his craft in intimate venues.[16] By the mid-1980s, he joined the Famous Door Theatre ensemble, a key stepping stone that marked his entry into Chicago's professional acting circles and provided a platform for consistent performances.[19]Writing career
Plays
Tracy Letts began his playwriting career in the early 1990s with raw, provocative works that established his reputation for exploring dark psychological and social themes. His first produced play, Killer Joe, premiered on August 3, 1993, at the Next Lab Theater in Evanston, Illinois, under the auspices of Next Theatre.[20] The thriller centers on a debt-ridden Texas family that hires a corrupt cop moonlighting as a hitman to murder the grandmother for her life insurance, delving into themes of crime, incest, and familial dysfunction.[21] The production ran for eight months to sold-out crowds, marking Letts' breakthrough as a playwright.[22] A 1998 Off-Broadway revival at the Soho Playhouse, directed by Wilson Milam, earned acclaim for its visceral intensity and black humor, with critics praising its "vicious and repellent" yet compelling portrait of white-trash depravity.[23] Letts' follow-up, Bug, premiered in September 1996 at the Gate Theatre in Notting Hill, London, directed by Alan Stanford.[24] The psychological drama unfolds in a rundown Oklahoma motel room, where a lonely woman and a Gulf War veteran descend into paranoia, convinced they are infested with government-implanted insects, probing themes of conspiracy, isolation, and mental fragility.[25] The London production received strong reviews for its tense atmosphere and innovative staging, establishing Letts internationally.[26] Subsequent U.S. mountings, including a 2000 run at Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, D.C., and a 2004 Off-Broadway transfer, further highlighted its cult status for blending horror with intimate character study.[27] In 2003, Man from Nebraska premiered at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, where Letts was an ensemble member.[1] The play follows a middle-aged Nebraska man's crisis of faith after a sudden existential epiphany, contrasting Midwestern values with modern secularism through a road-trip narrative.[5] Directed by ensemble member Terry Kinney, it earned the 2003 Joseph Jefferson Award for New Work and positive notices for its thoughtful examination of spirituality and doubt, though some critics noted its uneven pacing.[28] Letts achieved widespread acclaim with August: Osage County, which premiered on June 28, 2007, at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, directed by Anna D. Shapiro.[29] The epic family saga spans three acts over several weeks in rural Oklahoma, chronicling the Weston clan's unraveling amid the matriarch's morphine-fueled revelations of secrets, addiction, and tragedy following the patriarch's disappearance. The production, featuring a sprawling cast including ensemble members like Deanna Dunagan and Amy Morton, drew raves for its operatic scope and biting dialogue, transferring to Broadway's Music Box Theatre in December 2008, where it won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play.[1] Following this success, Superior Donuts premiered in 2008 at Steppenwolf, directed by Tina Landau.[1] The comedy-drama is set in a rundown Chicago doughnut shop owned by a reclusive Vietnam veteran, where an encounter with a young, ambitious Black employee sparks themes of race, redemption, and generational conflict. It transferred to Broadway's Music Box Theatre in 2009, receiving mixed reviews that lauded its warm humor but critiqued its predictable plot.[28] Mary Page Marlowe had its world premiere in 2016 at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, followed by an Off-Broadway production at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York in 2017, directed by Anna D. Shapiro.[1] The play non-linearly traces an accountant's ordinary life across six scenes spanning decades, highlighting quiet moments of joy, sorrow, and resilience without dramatic climax. Critics commended its subtle innovation in form and its empathetic portrayal of an unremarkable woman's inner world.[30] Letts returned to Los Angeles with Linda Vista, which premiered in October 2018 at the Geffen Playhouse, before transferring to Broadway's Hayes Theatre in October 2019, directed by Dexter Bullard.[31] The dark comedy follows a middle-aged divorcé navigating a midlife crisis through failed relationships and self-deception in suburban San Diego, satirizing male privilege and emotional stagnation. Reviews highlighted its sharp wit and strong performances, though some found its protagonist unsympathetic.[32] The Minutes premiered on Broadway at the Cort Theatre on March 31, 2022, following delays from its original 2020 opening due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the initial Chicago premiere at Steppenwolf occurred in November 2017.[33] Directed by Anna D. Shapiro, the satire unfolds during a small-town city council meeting that devolves into absurdity, exposing American civic hypocrisy and buried secrets through escalating revelations. It garnered a 2018 Pulitzer Prize finalist nomination for its incisive humor and timely political bite.[1] Several of Letts' plays, including Killer Joe, Bug, and August: Osage County, have been adapted into films.[22] In 2025, Letts is writing the book for Fire and Rain, a stage musical in development featuring the music of James Taylor, directed by David Cromer. As of October 2025, the project is ongoing but not yet complete.[8][34]Screenplays
Letts' screenwriting career began with adaptations of his own plays, transitioning his stage works into cinematic formats that retained their intense psychological depth and dark humor. His first feature screenplay was for the 2006 psychological horror film Bug, directed by William Friedkin and based on Letts' 1996 play of the same name.[35] The film follows a reclusive woman and a Gulf War veteran who become entangled in a paranoid delusion involving imaginary aphids, with production emphasizing a claustrophobic motel setting to heighten tension; it starred Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon in lead roles.[36] In 2011, Letts again collaborated with Friedkin on the screenplay for Killer Joe, an adaptation of his 1993 play.[37] This Southern Gothic crime thriller centers on a debt-ridden family hiring a corrupt detective (played by Matthew McConaughey) to murder the matriarch for insurance money, featuring a cast that included Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church, and Gina Gershon.[38] The film premiered at the 68th Venice International Film Festival, where it received critical acclaim for its twisted narrative and performances, though it later earned an NC-17 rating in the U.S. for its explicit content.[39] Letts' most prominent original screenplay—though adapted from his Pulitzer Prize-winning 2007 play—was for the 2013 drama August: Osage County, directed by John Wells.[40] Starring Meryl Streep as the pill-addicted matriarch Violet Weston, alongside Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, and an ensemble including Chris Cooper and Abigail Breslin, the film explores family dysfunction during a sweltering Oklahoma summer following a patriarch's disappearance.[41] It grossed $37.7 million domestically and $13 million internationally, totaling $50.7 million worldwide, but received mixed reviews for its tonal shifts.[42] The screenplay earned Letts an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, while Streep and Roberts were nominated for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.[43] Expanding beyond adaptations of his plays, Letts wrote the screenplay for the 2021 psychological thriller The Woman in the Window, directed by Joe Wright and based on A.J. Finn's 2018 novel.[44] The film stars Amy Adams as an agoraphobic child psychologist who witnesses a crime across the street from her New York home, with supporting roles by Gary Oldman, Julianne Moore, and Jennifer Leigh.[45] Released directly on Netflix after production delays, it drew comparisons to Hitchcockian thrillers but faced criticism for pacing and predictability.[46]Acting career
Theater roles
Tracy Letts joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble in 2002, marking a significant milestone in his stage acting career after earlier appearances with the company dating back to 1988.[47] His initial ensemble roles showcased his versatility in ensemble-driven productions, including performances in American Buffalo (2003), where he contributed to David Mamet's tense drama of small-time crooks.[48] Letts continued to build his reputation through key Steppenwolf productions in the mid-2000s. In Harold Pinter's Betrayal (2004), he portrayed one of the entangled lovers in the company's intimate revival of the classic.[49] That same year, he played Norman, the devoted and long-suffering dresser, in Ronald Harwood's The Dresser, opposite John Mahoney as the aging actor Sir, in a production directed by Amy Morton that highlighted the backstage rituals of theater life.[50] In 2006, Letts appeared in Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman, navigating the dark interrogation themes, and Bruce Norris's The Pain and the Itch, exploring suburban dysfunction.[48] Earlier in the decade, Letts took on the role of Quango, the hapless British expatriate and opium addict, in Tony Kushner's Homebody/Kabul (2003) at Steppenwolf, a production directed by Frank Galati that grappled with cultural clashes and personal alienation in pre-9/11 Afghanistan.[51] His most acclaimed stage performance came as George in Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, first in Steppenwolf's 2010 Chicago production opposite Amy Morton as Martha, then transferring to Broadway in 2012 under Pam MacKinnon's direction. For this role, Letts earned the 2013 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play, praised for his nuanced portrayal of intellectual sparring and emotional devastation.[52] Letts has occasionally acted in revivals of his own plays, though specific roles like the Detective in Killer Joe remain unconfirmed in major productions. Post-2020, he starred as Mayor Superba in the Broadway premiere of his satirical play The Minutes at the Cort Theatre in 2020, which was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed in a limited run in 2022, critiquing small-town politics through a chaotic city council meeting.[16])Film roles
Tracy Letts made his film acting debut in a minor role as the Van Owner in the 1988 comedy Paramedics. Following sparse appearances in supporting parts, such as Sean in the romantic comedy Straight Talk (1992) and Sheriff Poe in the action thriller U.S. Marshals (1998), Letts largely shifted his focus to playwriting and stage performances during the early 2000s.[9] Letts experienced a resurgence in film acting during the mid-2010s, securing notable supporting roles in ensemble-driven dramas. In Steven Spielberg's The Post (2017), he portrayed Fritz Beebe, the cautious chairman of The Washington Post Company, contributing to the film's acclaimed depiction of journalistic integrity with a performance highlighted for its strength within the ensemble cast.[53] That same year, in Greta Gerwig's semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story Lady Bird, Letts played Larry McPherson, the affable and quietly supportive father figure to Saoirse Ronan's protagonist, earning praise for his nuanced portrayal of understated parental empathy.[54] Building on this momentum, Letts appeared in two 2019 period dramas: as Mr. Dashwood, the mild-mannered father of the impoverished Dashwood sisters, in Greta Gerwig's adaptation of Little Women, and as Henry Ford II, the ambitious automobile executive driving the rivalry against Ferrari, in James Mangold's Ford v Ferrari. Both films showcased his ability to imbue authority figures with subtle depth and restraint. In 2021, Letts took on character roles in two thrillers with psychological elements. He played Franklin Price, the beleaguered lawyer handling the affairs of an eccentric socialite (Michelle Pfeiffer), in Azazel Jacobs' dark comedy French Exit.[55] Later that year, he appeared as Dr. Landy, the psychiatrist treating the film's reclusive protagonist (Amy Adams), in Joe Wright's The Woman in the Window. Letts continued with antagonistic supporting turns in subsequent projects. In Adrian Lyne's erotic thriller Deep Water (2022), he portrayed Don Wilson, a provocative neighbor entangled in the central couple's toxic dynamics. In 2023, he played Bill Verne, a pastor grappling with the aftermath of a school shooting, in Michael Shannon's drama Eric LaRue.[56] In 2024, he portrayed Herb Sargent, a veteran television writer, in the biographical comedy-drama Saturday Night, and Richard Snell, a radical extremist whose actions influence the plot's terrorist events, in Mike Ott's biopic McVeigh, which dramatizes the lead-up to the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.[57][58] Most recently, Letts starred as General Anthony Brady, a hawkish military leader navigating a geopolitical crisis, in Kathryn Bigelow's tense thriller A House of Dynamite (2025). The film had its North American premiere at the 63rd New York Film Festival in September 2025 before streaming on Netflix.[59]Television roles
Letts made his early television appearances in guest roles on several popular series during the 1990s and 2000s. Notable among these was his portrayal of a counter worker in the "Seinfeld" episode "The Strike" in 1997, where he appeared alongside the main cast during a scene involving Festivus celebrations. He also guest-starred as Peter Tucci, an attorney connected to the political intrigue surrounding inmate Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell, in the "Prison Break" episode "The Rat" in 2006.[60] Additional early credits include brief appearances on "Home Improvement" (1993), "The Drew Carey Show" (1998), "Profiler" (1999), "The District" (2000), and "Strong Medicine" (2000).[1] Letts gained prominence in television with recurring roles in prestige dramas. From 2013 to 2014, he played Senator Andrew Lockhart, the authoritative chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, in seasons 3 and 4 of Showtime's "Homeland," appearing in 11 episodes and contributing to the series' exploration of national security and CIA operations.[61] In 2016, he joined HBO's "Divorce" as Nick, a charismatic con artist running a pyramid scheme, recurring across all three seasons as the on-again, off-again boyfriend of Frances (Sarah Jessica Parker).[62] He followed this with a supporting role in season 2 of USA Network's "The Sinner" (2018), portraying Jack Novack, the father of a young detective investigating a mysterious drowning, in eight episodes alongside Bill Pullman and Carrie Coon.[63] In 2024, Letts recurred as Mitch Grossman, the scheming father and former coach of the protagonist, in five episodes of Peacock's comedy series "Mr. Throwback."[64] In recent years, Letts has continued to take on significant television parts, often in limited or guest capacities that highlight his dramatic range. He portrayed former Los Angeles Lakers coach Jack McKinney in HBO's "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" (2022–2023), earning a 2024 Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his depiction of the innovative but sidelined basketball figure.[65] In 2025, he appeared as Frank Martin, a complex supporting character in the FX limited series "The Lowdown," across six episodes, drawing on his affinity for creator Sterlin Harjo's previous work like "Reservation Dogs."[66] That same year, Letts guest-starred as John Stack in two episodes of Peacock's "The Paper," a mockumentary-style series set in the universe of "The Office," playing the publisher of a struggling Midwestern newspaper.[67]Personal life
Marriage and family
Tracy Letts married actress Carrie Coon on September 15, 2013, in a brief courthouse ceremony at a Chicago hospital shortly after Letts underwent emergency gallbladder surgery.[68][69] The couple first met in 2012 during the Steppenwolf Theatre Company's Broadway revival of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, in which Letts starred as George and Coon as Honey.[70] Letts and Coon welcomed their first child, son Haskell Letts, on March 13, 2018; the name honors Letts' late great-grandfather, Charles Haskell Letts.[71][68] Their daughter was born in 2021, though her name has not been publicly disclosed.[71] The couple shares a close professional partnership, with Coon frequently starring in Letts' plays, including the 2016 world premiere of Mary Page Marlowe at Steppenwolf and the 2020 revival of Bug, as well as the upcoming 2025 Broadway production of Bug.[72][73][74] This collaboration extends to their mutual support in transitioning between theater and film careers.[70] In February 2025, unfounded rumors suggested the couple had an open marriage, which Coon publicly denied, emphasizing their committed relationship.[75] Letts and Coon reside in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, having sold their Bucktown mansion in Chicago for $3.1 million in 2023 after purchasing it in 2009.[76][77] In 2021, they also acquired a $2.7 million farmhouse in upstate New York to provide a countryside retreat for their family.[76]Parental influences and legacy
Tracy Letts' father, Dennis Letts, an English professor and actor, passed away from lung cancer on February 22, 2008, during the Broadway run of his son's play August: Osage County, in which Dennis had originated the role of the patriarch Beverly Weston.[78][79] During the 2008 Tony Awards for August: Osage County, actress Deanna Reed dedicated her Best Featured Actress award to Letts' father in her speech, stating, "And this goes, part of it, to Dennis Letts; Happy Father's Day," acknowledging his profound influence on his creative life.[80] Letts' mother, Billie Letts, a novelist and former journalism professor best known for her bestselling book Where the Heart Is, died on August 2, 2014, from pneumonia following a recent diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia.[81][82] Billie profoundly shaped her son's exploration of Midwestern family dynamics in his writing, as Letts has credited both parents for their "hugely influential" roles in his artistic development, with their second careers—Dennis as an actor and Billie as a novelist—serving as models for pursuing creative passions.[14] Elements of Letts' own family experiences are woven into August: Osage County, including the suicide of his maternal grandfather, which inspired the play's patriarch's death by drowning, reflecting broader real-life tensions and generational schisms within his Oklahoma roots.[83][84] This incorporation underscores the parents' lasting legacy in Letts' work, where themes of familial dysfunction and resilience draw directly from the artistic environment they fostered.[14] While no major philanthropy initiatives tied specifically to his parents' legacies have been publicly documented, Letts has honored their contributions through his plays and public acknowledgments, perpetuating their commitment to literature and theater in the American Midwest.[85]Awards and nominations
Theater awards
Tracy Letts received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2008 for his play August: Osage County, recognizing its profound exploration of family dysfunction and American identity.[86] The same production earned him the Tony Award for Best Play that year, highlighting its critical and commercial success on Broadway. Additionally, August: Osage County was awarded the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play in 2008, affirming its status as a landmark work in contemporary American theater.[87] The play also secured the Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Play in 2008, further underscoring its impact.[88] In recognition of his acting prowess, Letts won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play in 2013 for his portrayal of George in the Broadway revival of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, a role that showcased his command of psychological intensity and verbal sparring. He has received Drama League Award nominations for Distinguished Performance for his roles in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (2013) and All My Sons (2019), reflecting his consistent excellence across stage interpretations.[88][89] As a longtime ensemble member of Steppenwolf Theatre Company since 2002, Letts has been honored for his contributions to the company's legacy, including premiering several of his plays there and elevating its profile through major awards like the Pulitzer and Tony, which were celebrated as collective triumphs for the ensemble.[1]| Award | Year | Work | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulitzer Prize for Drama | 2008 | August: Osage County | Winner |
| Tony Award | 2008 | August: Osage County | Best Play |
| Tony Award | 2013 | Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? | Best Leading Actor in a Play |
| New York Drama Critics' Circle Award | 2008 | August: Osage County | Best Play |
| Drama League Award | 2008 | August: Osage County | Distinguished Production of a Play |